


Bone Necklaces

by FlamingoSkull



Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:08:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23196814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlamingoSkull/pseuds/FlamingoSkull
Summary: The Conductor realizes he wants to marry Grooves in winter.
Relationships: The Conductor/DJ Grooves (A Hat in Time)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 104





	Bone Necklaces

**Author's Note:**

> Another old fic I made in 2018 that I'm putting on here. This one features a little headcanon I have where owls propose to each other using bone necklaces.

The Conductor realizes he wants to marry Grooves in winter, when it's freezing and the owl is muttering about how cold it is. The penguin chuckles at him before just wrapping an arm around him and bringing him closer. He feels excited and giddy, smirking before leaning over and nipping at Grooves neck. When he does so, he thinks of a necklace around it.

That's when the Conductor knew he had to marry him.

\--

He pulls a box out of his closet, huffing a bit as he shoves it onto the table. The table itself is littered with newspapers, tools carefully placed, and another clear box of bones the Conductor had been given by his mother when he first moved out.

He falters when reaching to open the box, scowling as he remembers what's inside.

He needs a reference though. He  _ refuses  _ to buy Grooves a necklace, that's bad luck if he does. Grooves definitely deserves better. Not to mention that if his mother found out, she'd yell at him until he returned the bloody thing. No, the Conductor is going to do this the right way.

He opens the box, and can't stop the sigh that leaves him. Inside are two necklaces, having been tossed in and mostly forgotten. At least, the Conductor has certainly tried to forget. They're both a bit hastily made, him and his ex wife having been excited when they made them. Rushed, a bit of a mess, and honestly exactly how him and her would have wanted it. He can't help but chuckle at the memory of having to help her with drilling the holes, as she always managed to break the bones.

Grooves should be here, technically, also making a necklace. But, Grooves is not an owl, and...well...there is something very exciting about doing a surprise proposal.

He picks up the necklace he had made his ex years ago, laying it out so he could plan a sketch for Grooves' necklace quickly. Definitely needs to be made with more patience. Also he's heard and seen some folks painting bones these days ...maybe he can try that… Just ideas for now though, sketching out a few quick designs, not bothering to make the picture look pretty. Just for his eyes anyway.

He realizes quickly he's doing to need some more supplies, and he snaps his beak in frustration. Can't really go and get anything right now, he's  _ not  _ in the mood to call a taxi or anything. With a huff, the Conductor grabs his phone.

In two rings, a tired son in law picks up. "Cornelius? Y'all okay?"

"Can you or Ronnie bring me some supplies?" He asks, quickly putting the necklace away.

"Uh…"

"For necklaces." The Conductor gruffly says.

"...oh!"

He can hear Russell perk up on the other end, and the Conductor rolls his eyes as he hears the owl call for his wife. In no time at all, his daughter is on the line, practically yelling, "You're  _ proposing _ ?"

"Not if I don't have paint." He hums, letting himself smile a little as he hears his daughter giggling. " _ Don't  _ laugh at me, Veronica."

"I'm  _ not  _ laughing!"

She hangs up, and in an hour, the Conductor has paint and an excited daughter in his home, who he has to shove out of his home in order to work, after making sure she won't tell a soul about this.  _ Especially  _ to his mother Nora.

The Conductor is very aware of bingo night with her friends. And while he loves his mother, the lady is horrible at keeping her beak shut these days.

\--

It takes days to make. Redoing it over and over again to make it perfect. And also to calm himself during the days he starts to reconsider it. He wants to do this, he knows he does, and if  _ anyone  _ is a good match for him in marriage, it's Peck Neck DJ Grooves.

After weeks of working on it, it's finished. And that night, he invites Grooves over, cleaning up quickly and gently placing the necklace in a new wooden box he had bought yesterday for the occasion. He shoves it onto a bookshelf, where it blends and he knows Grooves won't notice, at least not right away.

Grooves arrives late, as always, humming as he lets himself in and takes a glance at the table before smirking. "Ah. So when you said you'd cook dinner, you meant ordering take out."

"It's from the place that has that disgusting sushi ya like, don't be a brat." The owl huffs, letting himself take in the sight of Grooves. The penguin is dressed casually, in soft colors instead of the usual bold. He feels his heart hammering at the sight, and he can't help himself when he reaches over to nip at Grooves neck, purring. "Ye look nice like this."

"I know, you tell me every time you see me in a graphic tee." He hums, and kisses the Conductor before moving past him towards food. "Real late though, darling. Planning to tire me out so you have the upper hand tomorrow?"

The idea has him blushing, but he's able to clear his throat and shove the thought away (for now). "Nah, I can do that without tirin' you. My movies are better."

He hears Grooves scoff and the owl takes this moment to grab the box as Grooves fills his plate.

"You're certainly the charmer, darling." He hears the penguin say.

"Well, ya ain't so bad yourself." He holds the box against his chest, walking back to the kitchen. "You're annoying, loud."

"Uh huh." Grooves ignores him as he grabs his sushi.

"Gaudy, overdramatic, frivolous." The Conductor smirks as he sees Grooves starting to scowl, and the penguin makes a face as he starts to say, "Okay, darling, I get it-"

"Irresponsible, spoiled, vain."

Grooves finally turns around to face him, glaring and his arms crossed, snapping, "Conductor, I can just  _ leave- _ "

"And I have never ever been more in love with someone. Will you marry me?" He asks, still smiling even as Grooves slams his beak shut, eyes widening and leaning back before mumbling, "what?"

The Conductor hands Grooves the box, who stares at it for several seconds before opening it. "...You got take out sushi, insulted me, and then just proposed to me?"

"Yup."

The penguin carefully picks the necklace up. In the middle is a smooth blue stone, small and framed by two pieces of curved bones. The rest of the bones on the necklace are tied by a golden string, delicately slid into a hole each of them have. Each bone has been painted with a gentle brush of gold glitter, peppering each of them to give them a nice sparkle in the right light.

"You made this? For me?" Grooves asks quietly, and sucks in a breath when the Conductor nods. The owl gulps as the penguin puts it back in the box, before setting on the table.

"You don't like it?" He asks, his shoulders slumping and his heart aching a bit. He...didn't consider how Grooves would feel about this. He didn't really make this romantic, and maybe Grooves doesn't even  _ want  _ to get married-

The penguin tugs the Conductor towards him, kissing him. The kiss is deep, leaves the owl breathless and weak as he clings to Grooves, who doesn't let him go even when they pull away.

"You're horrible." Grooves mutters, before kissing him again, a huge grin on his face.


End file.
